Because Chess is a Man's Game
by Keoku
Summary: Yuki and Shuuichi play a little game of chess. Shounen-ai. SxY


because chess is a /man's/ game  
  
~~~~~~~~ a gravitation one-shot  
  
Written by Keoku (keoku@hotmail.com)  
  
"Ne, Yuki?"  
  
Yuki Eiri sighed inwardly. He was currently ensconced in his study, trying to hammer out the final details of the rough draft of his new novel. He had a /deadline/, and his editor could be quite scary when it came time to deliver the goods. He really needed to concentrate right now, but he knew that no matter how hard he tried, he could not ignore the diminutive red-head skulking by the doorway. Folding his hands in his lap, he turned away from the harsh glow of the computer screen and patiently faced his lover.  
  
"What is it, Shuuichi-kun?"  
  
"Ano..." The younger man squirmed uncomfortably beneath his gaze and looked slightly embarrassed. "Well, I just finished up with the lyrics Hiiro wanted, and... um... I was kind of bored."  
  
"And...?"  
  
"Aa... I was wondering if you wanted to play a game with me."  
  
Eiri forcibly stopped himself short of scoffing. Shuuichi could be so... childish sometimes. They both had work to do, and he wanted to play a game?  
  
He was about to refuse when he met Shuuichi's gaze and saw the expression on his face. It was so hopeful and innocent - and really, he was making such a /small/ request. Eiri sighed as he felt his resolve caving in on itself.  
  
//Oh, what the Hell. You're not getting much work done tonight, anyway.//  
  
"What do you want to play?"  
  
"Re-- Really?" Shuuichi brightened, his perpetual aura of genkiness returning. He was like a plant perking up with a sprinkle of water, Eiri thought with a private smile.  
  
"Well, there's the Playstation, and there's board games, and--"  
  
Waving his hand, Eiri shook his head. "Child's play," he said dissuasively. "Why don't we try a real game?"  
  
Shuuichi looked at him curiously, and Eiri could not conceal the grin that was quickly spreading across his face. Tapping a cigarette out of the pack on his desk, he perched one between his lips and lit it. He then gazed at his lover through the plumes of smoke and leaned back.  
  
"Boy, I'm going to teach you how to play a /man's/ game."  
  
~~~  
  
"Ano, Yuki, I don't know how to play chess."  
  
"Then I'll teach you."  
  
They were sitting in the living room, one on either side of the coffee table. Eiri had dug his chess set out of the bottom of his closet. It had been a long, long time since he'd last played - his sensei had taught him when he was young - but none of his partners in the past few years had given any indication that they would be good at chess, and so he hadn't bothered trying to teach them at all.  
  
Eiri carefully set up the pieces on either side of the board as Shuuichi watched him curiously. When the last pawn was in place, he slipped around to the other side and sat behind his boyfriend. Wrapping his legs around Shuuichi's waist, he pressed his body to the boy's back and leaned over his shoulder. He then took his hand and placed it on the pawn.  
  
"This is a pawn," he explained. "He can move like this."  
  
One by one, he named and illustrated the movements of each piece. When he was sure that Shuuichi understood the rules of the game, he disentangled himself - somewhat reluctantly - from his lover and sat back down on his own side.  
  
"Ne, Yuki, I don't know if I'll be much of a challenge."  
  
Snubbing out his cigarette, Eiri smiled calmly. "That why I'm adding an /extra/ rule," he replied.  
  
"An extra rule?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
Shuuichi looked at him curiously.  
  
"We're going to play a little variation on the usual game." Picking up the remote from the table, Eiri turned down the volume on the stereo and met Shuuichi's gaze directly. His expression transformed into something slightly feral as he removed his glasses.  
  
"We're going to play strip chess."  
  
~~~  
  
"Move."  
  
They were only a few turns into the match, and already Shuuichi had made several tactical errors. Not that Eiri could hold it against him - it was, after all, his first time playing. At least he remembered the movements of the pieces correctly and didn't do anything /spectacularly/ stupid. He had, Eiri thought with a certain amount of pride, potential.  
  
Eiri himself was biding his time. Like most of the things he did, this was more than just a game. It was a mode of seduction, and he was determined to pull it off just right. He was a romance novelist, after all, and he had a certain standard to uphold.  
  
Shuuichi was chewing on his lip - furrowing his brow cutely as he always did when he was deep in thought. Finally, he slid his bishop back into a more defensive position and waited.  
  
"Hmm." Eiri made a noncommittal sound as he took out one of Shuuichi's pawns with his knight. Moving the piece to the side, he looked up at Shuuichi, fighting to keep his face blank.  
  
"Hair tie," he said.  
  
Shuuichi started in surprise. When he didn't move, Eiri impatiently leaned over the table and tugged the elastic from his hair. It tumbled across his face in a bright sheen of red, and Shuuichi hastily ran his hands through the messy locks to push them out of his eyes. His hair was really getting long - but when it was down like this, framing Shuuichi's pale, slender face - he looked quite pretty. Eiri smiled in satisfaction.  
  
"Your move."  
  
~~~  
  
The game went on for a while. Eiri paced himself slowly - forfeiting a few of his pieces so Shuuichi wouldn't get frustrated and want to quit. He had to admit that it was a bit of a turn-on when his boyfriend told him to take off his shirt. He did so slowly, crossing his arms and pushing the fabric over his head - making sure that Shuuichi caught a glimpse of his flexed stomach muscles as he moved. Catlike, he flung the garment carelessly to the side, and proceeded on with the game.  
  
They were getting down to the end now, however. Shuuichi had just a pithy few pieces left - and even fewer clothes - and Eiri was becoming impatient. He was so close that he just wanted to move in for the kill.  
  
Finally, he cornered Shuuichi's king in a pincer formation and raised his eyes from the board.  
  
"Checkmate."  
  
Shuuichi let out a small breath of relief. All he had left was his boxers, and Eiri could tell from the goose bumps spreading across his arms and his chest that he was getting cold. The air conditioning was turned up full blast tonight, and it /was/ rather chilly inside.  
  
Eiri stood. He would fix that.  
  
"Well," Shuuichi stood and gazed up at him coyly, "what do you get for winning?"  
  
Moving towards the read-head, he put his arms around his boyfriend's waist and pulled him closer. Shuuchi's breath quickened as Eiri looked down at him and ran his thumb absently across the smooth curve of his lips. "Do you even have to ask?"  
  
Leaning down, he captured Shuuichi's mouth in a gentle kiss. This was the joy of winning, of conquering someone and taking them completely for your own. He lost himself in the embrace and the warmth of his lover, satisfied at a job well done.  
  
"Bedroom," he murmured quietly when they finally parted.  
  
And so the two retired to bed, where they played a different kind of manly game altogether.  
  
~~~  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
This fic was the result of the following conversation:  
  
*Meghan and Lauren, playing chess*  
  
Lauren: So of course, they're going to end up playing a game of chess. (Referring to Sirius/Snape fic).  
  
Meghan: Strip chess?  
  
Lauren: Is there any other kind?  
  
*end conversation*  
  
Of course, I ran away with the idea and wrote this little ficlet as soon as I got my hands on my computer. I decided to apply the idea to Gravi, because Yuki just seems like the kind of guy who would seduce somebody by playing chess. ^_^  
  
~~~  
  
AND THEN...  
  
The next evening, Shuuichi had a work date with the band down at the recording studio. By the time he got home he was tired but happy - Bad Luck's new album was coming along well, and he was excited to see the results of their work.  
  
"Tadaima," he called out, hanging his coat on its peg in the front hallway. He paused, then, surprised to hear footsteps coming from the living room. Yuki usually used the evenings to write.  
  
Walking into the room, he blinked curiously. Yuki was sitting cross-legged on the floor beside the coffee table, setting up the chess board again.  
  
"Ne, Yuki, are we playing tonight?"  
  
"Okaeri," his lover murmured distractedly. Then, turning towards him, he nodded.  
  
"We're going to play every single night, until you beat me," he said.  
  
"B-- but, Yuki! I'll never beat you, you're too good!"  
  
Looking at him over his glasses, the blond man leered.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
~~~  
  
O - wa - ri! 


End file.
